Gold Team
Gold Team was a group of Spartan-IIs under the operational command of Naval Special Warfare Command. They actively participated in several battles, including the Battle of Biko, Operation: SILENT STORM, the Battle of Biko and the battle of Miridem. The team generally consisting of around four members. It was lead for most of the early Human-Covenant War by Joshua-029, until the disappearance of Red Team along with the UNSC Spirit of Fire in 2531, after which several Spartan's were shuffled between teams, resulting in command being passed to Sheila-065, who remained in command until her death in 2544 at the battle of Miridem, shortly after which the team would be disbanded due to combat losses after the team was reduced to a single member. Members * Joshua-029 (2525-2531) (Leader until he joined Green Team) (KIA) * Daisy-023 (2525-2535) (KIA) * Naomi-010 (2525-2531) (Active) * Grace-093 (2525-2531) (KIA) * Keiichi-047 (2525-2526) (KIA) * Arthur-079 (2525-2544) (KIA * Solomon-069 (2531-2544) (KIA) * Sheila-065 (2531-2544) (KIA) * Joseph-122 (2535-2544) (Active) History Training Gold Team was first formed on the first day of candidate induction into the SPARTAN-II program around Joshua-029, Naomi-010, and Grace-093. In 2525, Daisy-023, Keiichi-047 and Arthur-073 would be attached to Gold Team, with the pair having lost the other members of their respective teams, with Arthur and Keiichi's being due to their teammates dying during their augmentations. Whereas Daisy, on the other hand, had lost her team as a result of the escape attempt that took place following the augmentation procedures, which had resulted in one of her teammates, Oscar-129 taking his own life, and the other, Ralph-103 being labelled as killed to facilitate his retirement from the program. Human-Covenant War Battle of Biko * Main article: Operation: SILENT STORM * Main article: Battle of Eirene In 2535 Gold Team would be dispatched along with Blue Team and Green Team to the planet of Eirene, with Gold Team being tasked with engaging the enemy in order to delay their advance. However, due to the multiple avenues of advance, Sheila would be forced to separate the team in order to cover more ground, a decision which would prove costly as the battle developed. Daisy would be assigned to assist Gamma Company of the 92nd Marine Regiment at the far end of the UNSC line, who held the line under repeated enemy lines until the last day of the battle just as the retreat order was given. At this time the covenant launched an all-out assault on the UNSC positions, which under the strain collapsed in several key sectors, separated most of Gamma company and Daisy from the rest of the UNSC ground forces. Daisy would spend the next few hours trying to regroup the few squads that remained in the area, however, only the badly mauled squad Gamma 2, would be able to hold until she arrived and together they would beat off the enemy assault, granting them a momentary respite. After this, she then assisted the Marines in getting to the evac point, where she met up with the former spartan, Ralph-103, now Sergeant Ralph Parish in the UNSC Marines. As their evac Pelican landed, however, Daisy was impaled by Needler rounds, fatally wounding her. Ralph and the other Marines attempted to help her, but she ordered them to leave and attempted to cover them with her pistol, but the Pelican was destroyed by Fuel Rod gunfire, killing all aboard. Daisy, her weapon spent, and her helmet having been knocked off when she had been hit, would be killed by the blast wave, sparing her the agony of bleeding to death. Hours later, her body was later found by John-117, who had been making his way to her position in an effort to aid her, who laid Daisy to rest, placing her teddy bear chain in her hands, before evacuating with the last UNSC forces on the ground, just as the Covenant began to glass the planet. In the aftermath, John would inform Joseph-122 of Daisy's death, who due to their shared history, responded coldly to the news. However, Kelly-087 would then discover a data file addressed to Joseph amongst Daisy's personal effects and after some persuasion by herself and John, Joseph would watch the file, finding it to be an apology for her betrayal and a plea for her forgiveness. At first this annoyed Joseph, who still held a grudge against her for the betrayal, and refused to forgive her. However, his teammate Carris-137 would overhear his ranting, and after making Joseph reveal the real reason behind their falling out (in the process confiding in her the secret of the flash clones, the real causes Oscar and Daniel's deaths and Ralph's removal from the program). Upon learning this, Carris pointed out that Daisy's actions had likely saved his life, and that he should forgive her regardless of what she had done, before leaving him to make up his mind. A few days later, Joseph would make his verdict known, by requesting a transfer to Gold Team in order to fill the vacancy left by Daisy, which surprised many of his comrades due to their historic feud. Battle of Miridem In 2544, Miridem became the next human world to come Covenant's path of destruction, being attacked by the Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence, beginning a protracted battle that would last for over two weeks, prompting the deployment of Gold Team and Blue Team in response. Upon arrival the teams were split between two separate objectives, Gold Team being tasked with the evacuation of civilians from the planet, whilst Blue Team would be tasked with the destruction of the planets central datastores, buried under the capital city. During the battle the Spartan's were made aware that Doctor Catherine Halsey was present on the planet, and required immediate assistance, Resulting in Sheila and Joseph detaching from the rest of Gold to assist. However as they were evacuating Halsey, Joseph was shot through his left knee by a jackal sniper, the blamite needle projectile penetrating between the joints in the MJOLNIR's armour plates, incapacitating him, but fortunately did not detonate, allowing him to keep his leg. Sheila (with Halsey providing some medical assistance) would then move the incapacitated Joseph into a safe position before continuing with the mission alone until she was killed by the Sangheili Major Thel 'Lodamee whilst covering Halsey's evacuation crafts takeoff. Unfortunately, having seen Sheila's sacrifice, 'Lodamee, correctly determined the Doctors importance and would pursue the ship, leading to her capture. After the capture of Doctor Halsey was discovered, the UNSC would launch Operation: WARM BLANKET, led by John-117, with Solomon and Arthur being attached to the mission as members of Blue Team along with Kelly-87 and Fred-104. Joseph would attempt to partake in the operation, despite being unable to walk without help, as he blamed himself for the death of Sheila as he had not been there to support her in her fight with 'Lodamee. John, however, would not permit Joseph to participate in the mission, as his injuries made him unable to fight. Disbandment Following Operation: WARM BLANKET and the deaths of Solomon and Arthur, Joseph would be the sole surviving member of Gold Team, abet requiring a lengthy hospital stay so that his wound could heal properly. As a result of the loss of 3 of the Spartan's of Gold Team, Naval Special Warfare Command made the decision not to reform Gold Team with a new squad of Spartan's. Choosing instead to attach Joseph to another Spartan team and elected to retire the name Gold Team from the list of Spartan-II Teams, as it had suffered the heaviest casualties among the Spartan-II Teams. A grim record, which would only be surpassed with the loss of at least 7 Spartan-II's under the callsign of Red Team, during the Fall of Reach in 2552. Appearances * Halo Legends - Homecoming (First appearance) * Halo: Silent Storm Category:SPARTAN Teams